Oral History interview with Willie Bogan '71
Title
Oral History interview with Willie Bogan '71
Narrator (written)
Willie Bogan
Narrator First Name
Willie
Narrator Last Name
Bogan
Interviewer
Vachon Raye '24
Abstract
Born in Greenville, Alabama, Willie Bogan moved to Albion, Michigan at the age of 2 during the “Second Great Migration” following World War 2. He reflects on his father’s work in the automobile industry, and how sports shaped his childhood and upbringing in a small town. Bogan describes his athletic recruiting process to Dartmouth, where he was part of the undefeated and nationally ranked 1970 football team. Outside of football, Bogan majored in Spanish, and studied abroad in Costa Rica and Spain. He recounts his involvement leading the protest against Professor William Shockley, who was invited onto campus to discuss his views on the genetic inferiority of Black people, and also recalls both personal and campus reactions to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Bogan was also involved in the Afro-American Society (AAM) and highlights the crucial community it fostered for Black students facing isolation on campus. During his senior year at Dartmouth, Bogan applied and was selected as 1 of 32 Rhodes scholarship recipients to study at Oxford for two years. He highlights the significance of being among the 5 Black Rhodes Scholars that year and how it shaped his place in the Rhodes tradition. At the end of the interview, Bogan underscores viewing Dartmouth as a foundation for future success.
Date of Interview
October 28, 2021
Subject
Afro-American Society
Dartmouth alumni
Dartmouth football
Martin Luther King Jr.
protest/activism
Rhodes Scholars
study abroad
William Shockley
Language
English
Rights
Interview Audio Source (MP3)
//rcweb.dartmouth.edu/DartmouthBlackLives/histories/bogan_willie/bogan_willie.mp3
Interview Transcript Source (PDF)
//rcweb.dartmouth.edu/DartmouthBlackLives/histories/bogan_willie/bogan_willie_transcript_final.pdf
HTML
//rcweb.dartmouth.edu/DartmouthBlackLives/histories/bogan_willie/bogan_willie_transcript_final.html